Exaltitude

EXA is a community centered around self-learning, connection-building, and leadership. Gain clarity about yourself and your career goals, and find the support you need to get there.

Founder

Beauty Queen in Silicon Valley

Author of upcoming YA fiction Beauty Queen in Silicon Valley about a pageant queen Emma Park - when she follows her ex, Nate, to Silicon Valley, she sticks out like a Barbie doll in the video game aisle. Emma must define her real dream and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to achieve it. http://jeanlee.world/

Author

WhatsApp Inc.

As one of the first three Eng Managers to kick-start the WhatsApp engineering office for London, I nurtured the WhatsApp engineering culture through team building and lead growth strategies in partnership with recruiting and leadership. In just 18 months, we grew our London engineering office to 100!

Software Engineering Manager

We developed tools to speed up and scale development for WhatsApp engineers, enabling rapid iteration while safely delivering WhatsApp to the 1.6 billion monthly active users.

I was the 19th engineer to join WhatsApp prior to the $19B acquisition by Facebook

Software Engineer

Consultant

I took some time off to travel around the world while taking on client work stretching from Samsung Electronics to up-and-coming tech startups

Implemented a new order management system to harmonize and standardize client’s business processes and systems in a $3B+ project

Veeky (Web based startup)

I took Veeky, a video sharing platform, from zero to launch in a three-team startup

Product/Web Intern

Jean has been a Software Engineer and a Manager for 15 years. Jean is also the Founder of Exaltitude (www.exaltitude.io), helping engineers get to the next level! 
Prior to Exaltitude, she was the 19th engineer at WhatsApp before the $19 Billion acquisition by Facebook, where she built stellar products, engineering teams, and diverse communities as a Software Engineering Manager and a leader. 
She's also a soon to be Young Adult fiction author for an upcoming novel about a teenage beauty pageant, who is also a kickass engineer! 

⭐ Learn More about EXA https://www.exaltitude.io/?utm_source=linkedin

⭐️ Checkout our YouTube channel https://youtube.com/@exaltitude

🔀 Throughout my career, I've encountered several crossroads. I've navigated from a stable role at a major tech company, felt the uncertainty of stagnation, and grappled with the decision to transition from a managerial role to an IC role at a startup, and then back to the manager track again. These experiences, while challenging, have been invaluable in shaping my career path.

🤔 However, I often found myself wishing for a roadmap or mentor who could help me avoid common pitfalls and guide me towards making informed career decisions. This is why I'm excited to share the insights I've gained on my journey, the valuable skills I've acquired, and the distinct differences I've experienced in the interview processes across various work environments. My hope is that by sharing my experiences, I can help others navigate their own career paths with greater confidence and direction.

🚀 It's with great excitement that I am launching my new Data Science Careers course (https://lnkd.in/g9XFU-5g) at Maven. This course, a distillation of my experiences in the data science field, is a comprehensive guide for senior professionals navigating the ever-changing landscape of data science careers. Whether you're contemplating a switch to a different company, aspiring to advance within your current organization, or even considering a career pivot outside of data science, this course is for you.

💜 If you know someone who might find this course beneficial, please share this post with them. I'm looking forward to engaging in more career-focused discussions with you in the class! Check out more about the course at https://lnkd.in/g9XFU-5g.
#datascience #career 

Jean Lee

maven.com • 2 min read

Master Data Science Career Skills for Senior DS Professionals by Mengying Li on Maven

Once you get started (on a career or a product) it's tempting to settle into a routine of comfort. 

When I first started teaching, I wasn’t sure if others would find value inwhat I thought would we helpful.. 🤷‍♀️

Over the past three years, Soyoung Lee and I guided six cohorts through our courses for Software Engineers, continuously refining the EXA curriculum.

Yet, it's all too easy to become complacent. After all, if it worked before, why change it?

When Gagan Biyani, Founder of Maven, invited me to join their teaching platform, I was skeptical. Why should I?

After talking to friends, I decided to explore it and I was convinced to check out their coaching cohort; which turned out to be a great decision! 🎉

Maven’s support exceeded my expectations, thanks to the exceptional staff and insightful sessions. 

It’s ridiculous how much I learned from Chelsea Wilson! 🔥

What did we do❓

Over the past 4 weeks, we’ve collected feedback from 181 software engineers. 

Chelsea, Soyoung, and I, combed through and refined our curriculum meticulously. 

What’s the result❓

The recent surge in interest surrounding AI underscores the importance of staying ahead in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape. To thrive in the age of AI, technical prowess alone is insufficient. 

That's why we've curated a comprehensive program to equip you with the tools to analyze critical skills and chart your next steps.

We've distilled the most popular lessons from our original six-week EXA curriculum into a concise two-day intensive program—“Software Engineering Careers in the Age of AI.”
👉  https://lnkd.in/g6wguySu

📌 Join us on April 20th and 21st, as we delve into essential topics including:

1. Navigating the AI Landscape: Critical Skills for Success
2. Mastering Software Engineering Excellence Standards
3. Elevating Your Visibility: Articulating Impact
4. Career Conversations with Your Manager
5. Growing Influence and Crafting Your Career Path
6. Designing Your Unique Path: Crafting a Personal Career Blueprint

Our ultimate goal is to empower you to craft a fulfilling and successful engineering career. So you can take control of your next steps.

I’m excited to see you soon!

P.S.
🙏 My gratitude to Edith Yeung  and Tara Graham for urging me to connect with Maven. This is why it’s important to have a great network of people you trust, to talk to!

P.P.S. 
If you’d like a $100-off, early bird discount code, comment “interested” 👇

Happy Monday!

I am super excited to host the FoundersHK Spring Social and Founder Forum this week bringing together the biggest growth stage startup founders into the same room for the first time in years! I personally believe Hong Kong can be the next Silicon Valley – if, and only if, we get the right types of people on board. To me, there are only two types: the start-up investor and the geek. Hong Kong has plenty of rich people and “wantrepreneur” investors, but most made their fortune in real estate, finance or manufacturing. To be the next Silicon Valley, Hong Kong must focus on people, not real estate. Read my op-ed in the South China Morning Post https://lnkd.in/g9hPJy-c

P.S. Don't forget to tell your favorite early-stage enterprise founders to apply for #Topline (https://lnkd.in/gK5QK3FW) - my 8-week enterprise accelerator, focusing on revenue growth!

Here are a few great things to read/watch this week: 
💪 Political Economy of Technology  by Bill Janeway
😊 How to Get Ahead of 99% of Software Engineers by Jean Lee
🎧  The Complete History & Strategy of Renaissance Technologies by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal
🎵 The Woodstock of AI 
📢 Speaking @ Techcrunch Early Stage

#accelerator #topline #enterprise #application #RaceCapital
#SeedInvesting #StartupCulture  #StartupFunding #nvidia #venturefund
#Entrepreneurship #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #BioTechInnovations
#EnvironmentalStartups #FoodTech #VentureCapital #TechIndustryNews
#LeadershipInsights #foundershk #BusinessStrategies #enterprise

Edith Yeung on LinkedIn • 4 min read

Edith's Weekly Update - 19 Startups Raised $423M in Funding Last Week, Political Economy of Technology, How to Get Ahead of 99% of Software Engineers

Your mind has 3️⃣ distinct 'zones'. 
Some hindering. Some empowering. 
 
1️⃣ Comfort zone 
2️⃣ Fear zone 
3️⃣ Growth zone 
 
If you want to get to the top 1%, here's my advice: 
 
Steer clear of stagnation and the lure of safety in Zone 1️⃣.
 
Push through the temptation to procrastinate in Zone 2️⃣.

Where you want to be in your career is in Zone 3️⃣.
 
Here is the advice I shared with Caleb Mellas in his newsletter- “7 Tips To Get Ahead of 99% of Software Engineers“ 👉 https://lnkd.in/gPDxD78z

Should you panic about Devin, the AI Software Engineer? Keep reading…

Don't let the hype scare you. 💥

💡Here's why I'm not convinced it'll replace us:

1️⃣ Limited Benchmarks:
Just because Devin aces coding interviews or freelance gigs doesn't mean it's a coding rockstar. Interviews and simple projects don't reflect the real world. Software engineering work is subjective, and there's no single test to measure true ability, especially when working with complex, messy codebases at established companies.

2️⃣ Legacy Code is the Real Challenge:
Freelance coding is often starting from scratch. Real companies deal with existing code – often a tangled mess! Devin might ace a clean project, but it could struggle with legacy systems. Until AI can navigate that complexity, it's not a full replacement.

3️⃣ Coding is Just Part of the Equation:
Let's say Devin truly is a coding whiz. Great! But software engineering is more than just coding. Senior engineers spend most of their time on architecture, specs, mentoring, and leadership. The more experience you gain, the less you code itself. Devin might be a helpful tool, but it won't replace the strategic thinking and leadership skills crucial for experienced engineers.

Want to learn more about what are the key skills in the age of AI for software engineering careers? 
Checkout our upcoming monthly talk, “Software Engineering in the Age of AI” 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjg23DZa

#AI #SoftwareEngineering #FutureOfWork

Such an incredible celebration of Women’s History Month! 💃✨ I had the privilege of interviewing, Dana Genshaft, who shared her inspiring journey into leadership roles as a choreographer and an artistic director within the ballet world.
Even though we come from different industries (ballet and tech), we have so much in common! It was an inspiring discussion swapping our leadership stories. 
Like in the tech industry, ballet needs more women in leadership positions. Let’s continue to champion and uplift women’s voices in every industry!

Happy Friday 💕 

#womenintech #womeninleadership 

While many software engineers aim for leadership positions, true influence doesn't require a fancy title. Regardless of your official position, “credibility + likability” are the cornerstones of effective leadership.

⭐ Building Credibility

✅ Become a Subject Matter Expert: Share your expertise, mentor colleagues, and actively participate in technical discussions. This establishes you as a reliable source of knowledge.

✅ Lead by Example: Demonstrate a strong work ethic and be reliable. This inspires others to follow suit and demonstrates your commitment to the team's success.

⭐ Boosting Likability:

✅ Practice Active Listening & Show Genuine Interest: Listen attentively, ask thoughtful questions, and make others feel heard. This fosters trust and strengthens relationships.

✅ Build Strong Relationships: Collaborate and support your colleagues, building social proof and increasing your visibility within the organization.

Remember, influence is earned through consistent effort. By demonstrating your value, expertise, and positive attitude, you gain the respect and trust of your colleagues, naturally positioning yourself as a leader, whether or not you have a formal title.

What are your thoughts on influence without a title? Share your experiences in the comments! 👇

Too many engineers get trapped in second-rate careers because they end up in fields they lack passion for.

Beware of pigeonholing yourself too early by choosing domain/depth too early! 

Early in my career, I found myself stuck as the go-to person for grunt work. 

For various reasons, including a desire to prove myself and difficulty saying no, I remained in this role for several years. 

It was a valuable learning experience, that taught me what NOT to do.

Getting labeled as the go-to person in a particular area too early (your career could suffer), especially if you're only assigned projects within that narrow scope.

Here's the thing: when you're starting out, you likely don't know your true interests or strengths, and you may not even be aware of all the opportunities available to you. It's unrealistic to expect to become an expert in any field straight out of school or early in your career.

Instead of focusing solely on becoming an expert, concentrate on exploring different fields while consistently delivering high-quality work. People will seek you out not because you're an expert, but because you reliably produce quality results.

As you experiment with various projects, you'll gain insights into your strengths and interests, helping you identify areas where you want to develop deeper expertise.

Consider a recent study of successful soccer players: contrary to the conventional wisdom of early specialization, many didn't start playing soccer until their 20s. Instead, they spent their early years exploring a wide range of sports. (For more on this, I check out the book, "Range.”)

Likewise, in tech, try to explore different programming languages, tools, and domains before pigeonholing yourself into something you may not even enjoy.

Many students at my courses ask about how to get out of X, and into areas they find more interesting, like AI.

If you find yourself in a similar situation or are unsure about your path to expertise, I’m happy to talk more about that in our upcoming course - “Software Engineering in the Age of AI.” 👉 https://lnkd.in/g6wguySu

P.S. “comment” interested if you’d like a $100-off early bird discount code

I've curated a list of 10 must-read tech articles for you to dive into over the weekend. 

1. The 5-5-5 of Active Listening:
https://lnkd.in/eUUgEGKn
Richard Donovan

2. 7 Tips To Get Ahead of 99% of Software Engineers: https://lnkd.in/ewyDwKDh
Caleb Mellas and Jean Lee

3. 11 ways to get better feedback from your manager:
https://lnkd.in/eEUVeMwT
Wes Kao

4. Why Google failed to make GPT-3 + why Multimodal Agents are the path to AGI — with David Luan of Adept:
https://lnkd.in/eCCRgCAw
Latent Space

5. TBM 279: How to Learn and Practice Product Management in a Feature Factory:
https://lnkd.in/eeM2EavB
John Cutler

6. How Figma Grows: Design Beyond Designers:
https://lnkd.in/euWH2rPy
Jaryd Hermann


7. Treat your career as a startup:
https://lnkd.in/eBeJdZRx
Bogdan Veliscu

8. Introduction to Strategic Thinking
https://lnkd.in/eJXb9ZnV
Dariusz Sadowski

9. How I build side projects:
https://lnkd.in/enaNEWWZ
Tiger Abrodi

10. This is the only Strategy Framework you need. Period.
https://lnkd.in/eEi8B6M2
Bandan Jot Singh

I hope these articles provide valuable insights, stimulate thought, and perhaps even challenge your perspectives.

-> If any piece particularly resonated with you or sparked an idea worth discussing, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

P.S. Repost if this is useful ♻️
Back

My sister Soyoung Lee  got me into Denise Austin’s work out videos in the 90s. As a teen, I did not know I was supposed to "hit the spot" with my work outs or should think about my posture?!

Thank you Denise for 40+ years of your dedication in educating women all over the world to take care of our bodies in encouraging and positive ways! 

One of the highlights for the wellness retreat at Stanly Ranch was undoubtedly the opportunity to spend quality time with my inspiration and role model, Denise. Getting to work out alongside her and also sharing a fantastic day with a community of incredible women was truly unforgettable.

🚀 Diving into the buzz around Devin, the AI dubbed as the world's first "software engineer," I share my thoughts on whether it's a revolutionary leap or a clever marketing gimmick. With AI already embedded in coding practices, Devin's claims raise several eyebrows. From questioning the authenticity of its coding prowess to examining the nature of contracting work and the real essence of software engineering, I dissect the hype and reflect on the broader implications for our industry. Are we witnessing a genuine shift, or is it just another case of hype over substance? 

#AI #SoftwareEngineering

Jean Lee on LinkedIn • 3 min read

AI in Coding: Revolution or Gimmick? A Look at Devin

Interesting insights from a latest poll on the Glasssdoor community: We asked, "Will Devin, the first AI Software Engineer, really replace software engineers?" 
The results?? 

With 57% voting "No way" and 27% believing "For sure!", it's clear there's a diverse range of opinions on the impact of AI like Devin on our profession. This split opens up a larger dialogue about the future of software engineering and the role AI will play. 

I'm curious to hear more perspectives – what do you think? Will AI like Devin complement our skills, or are we looking at a future where AI might take the lead? Share your thoughts below! 

See the Glassdoor poll here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjWWgHDd

#SoftwareEngineering #FutureOfWork

Dive into AI: Real-life Experience is your Secret Weapon 🔥
Thinking about joining the exciting world of AI engineering?  Don't wait for the perfect job title - get real-world experience now!
Internships, part-time roles, even consulting gigs are incredible gateways to explore this field. Ideally, aim for paid positions, but remember: every experience counts!

✨Start with what's available:
- Volunteer gigs: Contribute to open-source projects, help non-profits, or join research initiatives.
- Free freelance work: Offer your skills to small businesses or startups.
But the key is not just doing, it's feeling! 

✨Reflect on each experience:
- What tasks give you energy? Is it coding, debugging puzzles, or mastering new tech? 
- Do you thrive on collaboration? Teaching others or bouncing ideas off teammates?
- Love explaining complex tech? Communication skills are vital in the age of AI!

By understanding your preferences, you'll find the perfect career niche! So dive in, explore, and discover what makes your heart sing! ❤️

#AIengineer #careerdevelopment #careergrowth"

Taplio

Jean Lee's Linkedin Analytics

Jean Lee

Jean Lee's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Want to drive more opportunities from LinkedIn?

Taplio

.css-1jgreyo{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39,43,72,1) 0%, rgba(33,47,183,1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Jean Lee's Linkedin Analytics

Jean Lee

Jean Lee's Best Posts .css-qqfgvy{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);}(last 30 days)

Want to drive more opportunities from LinkedIn?

Jean Lee's Linkedin Analytics

Jean Lee's Best Posts (last 30 days)